^IoIocp (irard^r) ar>d katoi). £■ 



THE FREESIA. 



(Part III. of a paper read before the Hamilton Horticultural Society, by Mr. Wm. Hunt.) 



du.ction, not having been brought pro- 

 minently into notice until about twenty- 

 five years ago. There are two varieties 

 of the Freesia, they both belong to the 

 natural order of Irids, which include 

 several numerous classes of plants. The 

 Freesia rejracta alba is as its name im- 

 plies, nearly white in color ; the other 

 variety, Freesia leitchlinii being very 

 similar to refrada alba, of a somewhat 

 stronger growth than the latter, a creamy 

 yellow tinge running through the flower 

 with a deep blotch of orange color on 

 one or more of the petals, giving it rather 

 a pretty appearance. 



With the Freesias, as with most other 

 classes of plants increased from seed, 

 we have already variations from the 

 original ; in some flowers a bluish tinge 

 may be noticed, but not of sufficient 

 importance to produce any material dif- 

 ference, either in growth, or color of 

 flower. By sowing the seed early in 

 the spring and growing on in pots or 

 frames they can be flowered the same 

 year. The best way to raise them from 

 seed is to sow a few seeds in two and a 

 half inch pots, thin the plants when 

 about one and a half inches high to five 

 or six, or more in a pot, and grow on 

 into five or six inch pots. To flower in 

 this method prevents any check when 

 233 



Fig. fcl610.— The Freesia, 



^^t ND now we come to the last of 

 II— \ \ my three subjects, the Freesia, 

 /[ ) \ that beautiful little bulb which 

 produces those deliciously 

 scented, tube like flowers, so popular 

 with every one for button-holes, sprays, 

 or table decoration, and which are to be 

 seen in every florist's window in early 

 spring. We are also indebted to the 

 Cape of Good Hope for this little gem 

 in the bulb line. It is of recent intro- 



